three champions in training at the Creps de Talence

By Alain Goujon – [email protected]
Posted on 02/25/2021 at 7:31 p.m.
Updated at 19:31

Two world champions and a bronze medalist from the French judo team scour the tatami mats of the Creps de Talence where they are on training courses all week. They are polishing their Olympic preparation

Why did you come to the stadium at the Creps de Talence?

Clarisse Agbegnenou It’s a complicated year for us, so changing the environment, breaking the routine, meeting the young people of Bordeaux, it feels good.

Madeleine Malonga With this Covid-19, we no longer have an international internship. Since September, we have been staying at Insep in Paris. The other part of the team was in Israel for the Tel Aviv Grand Slam, they returned home but are in septaine. So, our coach offered us all three this internship at the pole of Talence.

Amandine Bouchard In Paris, we are always with the same people, we train in the same place. So, coming to Bordeaux, it puts us off a bit and it’s not the first time we’ve come here.

With less than 150 days of the Tokyo Games, what do you have to work on?

Clarisse Agbegnenou It’s special because we have already worked a lot and we are continuing on the path. We’re ready, but it’s up to us not to be too ready before time. At the moment, I insist on working on the ground, that’s where I have a little more shortcomings. I have made good progress but I would like to become better. Then, we consolidate our technique while being relaxed because we had a little more time. We will continue quietly as we know how to do.

Madeleine Malonga A bit of everything, we do not focus only on one thing otherwise we abandon the other. We must remain vigilant so we strengthen the strengths and improve the weaknesses. We are constantly looking for the point of balance. You have to have things that work, that make you fall.

Amandine Bouchard What is acquired, I must strengthen it. Where it’s still a bit wobbly is my tactics and speed of execution. I really have to be the first to attack the other all the time, to attack. At the moment, I am not stressed. I don’t run after the ranking points. Today, I am qualified and I have proven myself in my category. It’s up to me to continue on this path to be on top in July.

How did you digest the postponement of the Games last year?

Clarisse Agbegnenou With difficulty. It is not easy to recover from such a fierce second year with such an important stake. To be honest, I’m still digesting. So we try to pass the time.

Madeleine Malonga We’re not going to lie to each other, it wasn’t a very easy time. For three years, we train every day with this goal in mind. On my nursing training, I got a postponement of the year to focus on this Olympic dream, I had to ask for another. It was not easy to manage but it taught us that in life nothing is taken for granted, that you have to know how to take a step back.

Amandine Bouchard This postponement allowed me to train differently. Less competitions, more training, work objectives change. And that allowed to have time to beat some very strong girls in the category. And I will arrive with a psychological advantage of having beaten all the best in my class. So, I already had the solution. It is therefore positive in that sense.

Nothing has been decided yet, but can you imagine the Games without an audience?

Clarisse Agbegnenou It would be a shame. From the Olympics in Japan, the country of judo, we would have liked to show this enthusiasm, this culture. During the Worlds in Tokyo in August 2019, the room was full, there was no longer a place. So this empty arena, it’s going to hurt. But if there is the gold medal at the end, I would be the happiest.

Madeleine Malonga Honestly, the Games without an audience would be really weird. Especially since my parents come to all my big competitions. It is important for them and for me because we are all in the same boat. But if this is the way to go so that the Games take place with an Olympic medal at the end, I take.

Amandine Bouchard I have never played in the Games unlike Clarisse and others. So I don’t have this experience in crowded rooms. I will not be impressed with the environment if the competition is actually held behind closed doors. I am starting from the principle of being lucky to participate in the Olympics in the current context. As long as I have a stack, an opponent and a medal to pick up, that’s fine with me.

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